This write-up is given with the
kind permission of a patient I saw a few years ago.It is a summary and some details have been
omitted to

maintain the patient’s anonymity.

A 37 year old professional man came to see me
complaining of frequent migraines, occurring in clusters, on return from a
mountaineering trip abroad.He had been
asthmatic since childhood and took a steroid inhaler and occasional
‘beta2-agonist’ (salbutamol) and nasal spray.He had also been prescribed a beta-blocker for migraine, which
ironically raised the chances of an asthma attack.He was also suffering from tension headaches
that generally preceded the migraines.There were also one or two other symptoms in his digestive tract that
contributed to an overall state of discomfort, as well as eczema inside an
elbow and behind his knees.The man’s
history revealed allergies to Brazil nuts, walnuts, and domestic animals –
horses, dogs, cats – as well as house dust and spores.

As with many busy people his diet would have
benefited from more fresh fruit and vegetables and less salty snacks (e.g.
crisps); he avoided wheat and dairy produce.He took flax oil caps.He did not
exercise and had recently taken on a new job involving regular travel 3 days a
week, and had been married one year.

At the first consultation, it was clear that
he had been a little stressed and put the higher frequency of migraines (and
possibly the other symptoms) down to this.He viewed the stress as probably just a temporary thing, owing to his
new job, change of living arrangement.He also wanted to be able to come off the beta-blockers.Most importantly, he showed a positive
outlook and wanted to take responsibility for managing his condition.

He was
prescribed a mixture of the following herbs as a tincture, to reduce the
incidence of migraines, reduce upper respiratory spasm and infection, to
stimulate the liver’s functioning and assist digestion, to modulate the immune
system, and to provide some support for coping with stress:

Feverfew
leafMilk
thistle

Ginger
‘root’Borage

[note: BORAGE
is no longer prescribed internally.]

ThymeVervain.

The dosage was 5 ml to be taken after meals
three times a day with a little water.

After four weeks, he reported there had been
an improvement followed by two migraines one weekend, following a ‘decaff’ cup
of coffee.The dosage of feverfew was
increased (+ 2.5ml/wk of a 1:3 tincture) and ginger slightly (+2ml/wk) and
dried meadowsweet was additionally prescribed to take as an infusion twice a
day or as required.He was advised to
avoid decaffeinated coffee, as it is possible that the remaining constituents
could trigger migraines.

Two
months later and he looked better and reported no full migraines, though one
had started the day before.He had also
stopped taking beta-blockers a few days earlier.He had taken the herbal tincture but not the
infusion.He had also stopped consuming
salty snacks and started taking exercise in a gym.No other symptoms were mentioned.

The overall picture then was much better and
important progress had been made. Clearly, the new strategy had begun to
work.The dosage of feverfew was
increased to 10 ml/wk and he was advised to monitor his symptoms very carefully
over the next 2 weeks, as he had just come off beta-blockers.He agreed to bin the meadowsweet as he
thought the salicylate constituents might trigger a migraine and he was given
some dried chamomile flowers to take as an infusion.

Over the next nine months he took several
more weeks’ dosages of the tincture mixture, and reported no more full
migraines, other than two to three mild ones (one had possibly been triggered
by a bright light on a train).This was
a very satisfactory outcome for the patient and the man has since gone on to
enjoy a largely migraine-free life without taking beta-blockers; and this has
allowed him to achieve more in his work and leisure time.